A 23-year-old university student in Uganda has been sentenced to two months in prison after posting a TikTok video that criticised President Yoweri Museveni, a move that has sparked outrage among human rights activists, opposition leaders, and civil society groups just months before the country heads to general elections in 2026.
Elson Tumwine, a third-year student at Makerere University, disappeared on 8 June 2025 while working as an agricultural intern in Hoima District. His disappearance came shortly after posting a video online that prosecutors say was intended to “ridicule, demean and incite hostility” against President Museveni.
The video reportedly mocked the president’s recent public apology to the Baganda people, Uganda’s largest ethnic group an apology seen by many as a political gesture ahead of elections.
For weeks, Tumwine’s whereabouts remained unknown until he was reportedly found at a police station in Entebbe on 13 July, following pressure from the university and opposition politicians who accused state agents of abducting and torturing him.
When he finally appeared in court last week, Tumwine pleaded guilty to charges of offensive communication and computer misuse. He also asked the court for forgiveness.
On Monday, a Magistrate’s Court in Entebbe sentenced him to two months in prison, citing his confession and plea for leniency.
However, the ruling has attracted sharp criticism. Prominent lawyer and activist Godwin Toko called the proceedings “a mockery of justice,” alleging that Tumwine was denied legal representation and coerced into pleading guilty.
“This is the apogee of injustice,” Toko posted on social media. “Not his captors, but the victim himself is punished.”
Ugandan authorities have so far not responded to the allegations of torture or unlawful detention.
Tumwine’s case adds to a growing list of Ugandans facing harsh penalties for online expressions deemed critical of the presidency a trend human rights groups say violates freedom of speech and intimidates young voices ahead of the 2026 elections.